Monday, January 27, 2014

Conservation and Preparation: Hunting Season Approaches

As a hunter, I look forward to giving back in the way of conservation. Sometimes it is monetary and sometimes it is sweat equity. Recently, I learned that the Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep was looking for volunteers to help clean up some springs around Southern California. I read a brief about what they were looking for and I thought it fit the bill for what I was hoping to do this year. So I shot an email over to Bill Tuck, the Spring Coordinator, and waited for a response. It didn’t take long as I received a phone call from Bill later that evening.

When I called Bill back I could hear the enthusiasm in his voice. He was passionate about what he does and that he loves being outdoors. At 69 years young, he is out there cleaning springs, as well as organizing and coordinating with others to clean the many springs that need to be observed. After noticing my email address, Bill came right out and asked me if I was a
hunter. Immediately, I said yes and he went right in to talking about a
certain spring that needs to be checked. He shared how this spot held
mule deer and sheep, but that it was not an easy spot to get to. That
excited me even more! It’s in the desert. It’s a long hike. Only way to
find it is by GPS as it is hidden. This would be a challenge, but the
payoff could be huge!!

We talked for nearly forty-five minutes about what would be expected of me, photography, and hunting. I was not only thrilled to be considering this, but excited that this might also lead to a new hunting spot, keeping my GPS skills honed, and using solid teamwork to help get this job done. He said he would be getting an information packet in the mail the next morning.

The entire next day I couldn't stop thinking about this opportunity. It would test my meddle and my preparation. It would bring me closer to a different part of California that I had never ventured into. Best of all, it would be an adventure.

My information came in the mail this past weekend and I am scouring the details and sharing them with two of my hunting buddies to get them on board. If we all team up and head out there together, we could form a great hunting bond and also find an undiscovered honey hole. Then again, it might just be a sandbox with some water. I am prepared for either one, but I am anxiously counting down the days until we can hike it!